Save Time on Holiday Meal Prep

12/15/2014 03:41
● By Family Features

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With so many holiday dishes requiring time-consuming special preparation, you may find yourself looking for ways to shave a little time. The key is to buy back precious minutes without sacrificing the taste and quality your loved ones expect when they gather for the big holiday feast.

When you're planning this year's menu, keep these tips in mind:

Build recipes around staples you already have on hand to shave off some grocery shopping time. To create a variety of dishes for any celebration, keep a ready stash of basic items like rice, pasta, potatoes, and an assortment of herbs and spices.

Look for ingredients that offer convenience, such as being pre-cooked or pre-measured. For example, Success Boil-in-Bag Rice is a 10-minute quick-cooking long grain rice, which is pre-measured in a convenient colander bag that can be prepared on the stove or in the microwave.

Once you have a menu in mind, take inventory of your kitchen tools to ensure you have everything you need and that it's in good working order. Review your recipes and preparation instructions ahead of time to prevent surprises on the big day, when things are already heating up in the kitchen.

Save time slicing, dicing and chopping by using frozen or store-prepared fruits and vegetables. Cutting preparation time will leave you more time to focus on tending to another dish, or take a few minutes for yourself before guests arrive.

With a few time-saving measures in place, you'll be ready to take on preparing a spread so tasty no one will know the shortcuts you took along the way. You'll also be free to experiment with new recipes, such as this delicious, sweet and crunchy Apple Walnut Dressing.